First pick
Scott Island
Wood or forest
433 ha
18 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Photo: P199 · CC BY-SA 3.010%protected within 10 km
Outdoors in Rideau Lakes · parks, protected land & trails
The boundary of Thousand Islands National Park runs along Rideau Lakes
A provincial park, Murphys Point Provincial Park, lies 0.1 km away. 6 mapped walking routes pass within 2 km, among them the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) and Rideau Trail - Kingston Section. Protected areas cover 10% of the land within 10 km; for the typical Canadian town it is 2.3%.
Protected land
10%
of the land within 10 km
Typical Canadian town: 2.3%
Protected areas
77
within 10 km, 6 public
Typical Canadian town: 14
Nearest national park
At the edge
Thousand Islands National Park
Nearest provincial park
0.1 km
Murphys Point Provincial Park
Walking routes
6
named, within 2 km (OpenStreetMap)
Beaches
12
within 5 km (OpenStreetMap)
Character
The outdoors in Rideau Lakes, in short
Each figure against Canadian towns of 2,500+; tap a tile for the detail.
Next to a national parkThousand Islands National Park starts at the edge of townProtected land all round10% of the land within 10 km, more than 85% of Canadian townsWalking routes6 named routes within 2 kmOn a national routeThe The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) passes within 2 km
Rideau Lakes is strongest on Thousand Islands National Park on its doorstep, with protected land around it close behind.
Against other towns
Rideau Lakes against other Canadian towns
Each figure against the 2,611 Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+ (not city hubs or reserves), with the town marked and the typical one’s line. No letter: the outdoors is described for Canadian towns, not graded.
Protected within 10 km10%Share of the land and water within 10 km of the town’s edge in a protected or conserved area
Protected in town14%Share of the town’s own area in a protected or conserved area
Public protected areas6Areas within 10 km held by a government or an Indigenous nation
Walking routes6Named OpenStreetMap walking and hiking routes with 300 m+ within 2 km
Beaches12Beaches mapped on OpenStreetMap within 5 km
CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC, 2026), OpenStreetMap (November 2026). Distances from the town’s outline.
Towns its size
Rideau Lakes comes 7th of 40 towns its size for protected land around it
The 40 Canadian towns nearest in population (11,910 to 12,413 residents), by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected. Hover for each one’s figures; click for its page.
Protected within 10 km
Rideau Lakes10%
Towns its size2.3%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Public protected areas
Rideau Lakes6
Towns its size5
Towns in Ontario4
Typical Canadian town4
Walking routes
Rideau Lakes6
Towns its size0
Towns in Ontario1
Typical Canadian town0
Rideau Lakes beats most towns its size for protected land nearby; 6 of 39 do better.
Every town in the comparison
| Town | Protected within 10 km | In town | Areas | Routes | Beaches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | L'Île-Perrot QC | 42% | 0.5% | 44 | 0 | 4 |
| 2 | Cantley QC | 21% | 1.2% | 32 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Elliot Lake ON | 18% | 7.2% | 10 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Orleans Village - Chateauneuf ON | 14% | 0% | 35 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | Nelson BC | 14% | 0.1% | 10 | 2 | 8 |
| 6 | Summerland BC | 11% | 7.5% | 25 | 0 | 45 |
| 7 | Rideau Lakes ON | 10% | 14% | 77 | 6 | 12 |
| 8 | Valley Creek ON | 6.3% | 29% | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| 9 | Chapman Mills ON | 6% | 1.9% | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Saint-Rodrigue QC | 4.8% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 4 |
| 11 | Adjala-Tosorontio ON | 4.7% | 1.1% | 68 | 3 | 4 |
| 12 | Humber Summit ON | 3.6% | 0% | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Moncton NB | 3.4% | 1.4% | 27 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | Milliken ON | 3.4% | 0% | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| 15 | McKenzie Lake AB | 3.3% | 1.1% | 2 | 0 | 17 |
| 16 | Marieville QC | 2.9% | 0.7% | 37 | 0 | 5 |
| 17 | Morrisburg ON | 2.6% | 4.2% | 17 | 0 | 5 |
| 18 | Saint-Sauveur QC | 2.3% | 0% | 21 | 0 | 7 |
| 19 | St. Andrews MB | 2.3% | 1.1% | 9 | 2 | 2 |
| 20 | Woodbine Corridor ON | 2.3% | 0% | 13 | 3 | 34 |
| 21 | Bromont QC | 2.2% | 2% | 25 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | St. Clements MB | 2.2% | 3% | 9 | 8 | 10 |
| 23 | Dovercourt Village ON | 2.1% | 0% | 11 | 3 | 13 |
| 24 | Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts QC | 1.8% | 1.6% | 15 | 1 | 8 |
| 25 | German Mills ON | 1.6% | 0% | 28 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | Royal Oak AB | 1.4% | 0% | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 27 | Grey Highlands ON | 1.3% | 0.7% | 77 | 4 | 0 |
| 28 | Saint-Raymond QC | 1.2% | 1.2% | 27 | 8 | 5 |
| 29 | The Hamptons AB | 1.2% | 0% | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | Georgian Bluffs ON | 1.1% | 1.9% | 67 | 4 | 17 |
| 31 | River Park South MB | 1.1% | 2.1% | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | Tyndall Park MB | 1.1% | 0% | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | Wetaskiwin County No. 10 AB | 0.7% | 1% | 52 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 | Blackfalds AB | 0.6% | 0% | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | Chalmers MB | 0.6% | 0% | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | Tay ON | 0.5% | 0.6% | 17 | 3 | 5 |
| 37 | Uptown ON | 0.3% | 0% | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | Norwich ON | 0.2% | 0% | 9 | 1 | 0 |
| 39 | Etobicoke West Mall ON | 0.2% | 0% | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 40 | DT Hospital ON | 0.1% | 0% | 2 | 0 | 4 |
The map
Rideau Lakes on the map: green space, protected land and paths
Green space, woods, protected areas and footpaths in and around the town; tap a number for its park or wood.
Green: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, playing fields and woods. Hatched: CPCAD protected areas.© OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL); CPCAD (OGL-Canada)
Places to walk
30 parks and woods to walk in, in or near Rideau Lakes
Largest first: Scott Island leads with 433 ha. Numbers match the map.
30 named parks and woods, 713 ha in all
Parks & gardens 49 haWoods 664 ha
Add Scott Island to Big Island and you have 65% of it.
Lower Reach Park
Park or garden
19 ha2 km of path
25 minto walk all 2 km of path
24 km north-eastfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
Trailside Park
Park or garden
13 ha0.8 km of path
10 minto walk all 0.8 km of path
18 km south-westfrom the centre
Cataraqui TrailChaffey's Lock Trail
Directionsto a point inside
James H Fullard Nature Reserve - Rideau Waterway Land Trust
Park or garden
6.8 ha0.4 km of path
18 km south-westfrom the centre
Directionsto a point inside
All 30 named parks and green spaces
Scott IslandWood or forest · 433 ha
DirectionsLower Reach ParkPark or garden · 19 ha · 2 km of path
DirectionsTrailside ParkPark or garden · 13 ha · 0.8 km of path
DirectionsBig IslandWood or forest · 32 ha
DirectionsJames H Fullard Nature Reserve - Rideau Waterway Land TrustPark or garden · 6.8 ha · 0.4 km of path
DirectionsWalnut IslandWood or forest · 21 ha
DirectionsTar IslandWood or forest · 19 ha
DirectionsMacDonalds IslandWood or forest · 18 ha
DirectionsHog IslandWood or forest · 17 ha
DirectionsEightacre IslandWood or forest · 17 ha
DirectionsColonel By IslandWood or forest · 16 ha
DirectionsLong IslandWood or forest · 15 ha
DirectionsPoonamalie LockPark or garden · 3.9 ha
DirectionsFoley IslandWood or forest · 11 ha
DirectionsMcCaskill IslandWood or forest · 11 ha
DirectionsVictoria ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.6 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsMurphy ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.4 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsHilltop ParkPark or garden · 1.3 ha · 0.5 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsLockwood Memorial ParkPark or garden · 1.7 ha · 0.3 km of path · just outside town
DirectionsCow IslandWood or forest · 6.7 ha
DirectionsPritchards IslandWood or forest · 6.7 ha
DirectionsBobs IslandWood or forest · 6.6 ha
DirectionsWright IslandWood or forest · 6.6 ha
DirectionsMackay IslandWood or forest · 6.1 ha
DirectionsMcVeetys IslandWood or forest · 5.6 ha · just outside town
DirectionsSheep IslandWood or forest · 4.3 ha
DirectionsGrahams IslandWood or forest · 4.1 ha
DirectionsTopler IslandWood or forest · 3.9 ha
DirectionsCordwood IslandWood or forest · 3.8 ha
DirectionsPortland Bay Conservation AreaPark or garden · 0.9 ha
DirectionsSource: OpenStreetMap parks, gardens, commons and woods with a name, in the town or within 400 m, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Sizes are the mapped outline’s.
Close to home
A park is within a short walk for 1 in 10 in Rideau Lakes
Residents of each 2021 dissemination area, at a point inside it, within 400 m (about a 5-minute walk) of a park or playing field mapped on OpenStreetMap.
Within 400 m (6.3%)Further (94%)
Rideau Lakes6.3%
Towns in Ontario90%
Typical Canadian town83%
In the typical Canadian town the share is 83%, higher than here. About 11,400 residents live further than 400 m from one.
Protected areas
10% of the land around Rideau Lakes is protected
Every protected and conserved area in CPCAD within 10 km of the town’s edge: parks, reserves, wildlife areas and conservation land.
Inside Rideau Lakes14%
Within 10 km10%
Towns in Ontario2.3%
Typical Canadian town2.3%
Of the 77, 6 are public land; the others are privately held. Rideau Canal National Historic Site is the biggest, 19,972 ha. 37 more areas within 10 km are private land, held by landowners or conservation groups: counted here, not named.
Rideau Canal National Historic SiteProtected area · 19,972 ha · reaches Rideau Lakes
Thousand Islands National ParkNational park · 2,364 ha · reaches Rideau Lakes
Murphys Point Provincial ParkProvincial park · 1,115 ha · 0.1 km from the edge of town
Source: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada.
National & provincial parks
Big parks near Rideau Lakes
National parks (Parks Canada) and provincial or territorial parks by direction and distance from the town’s edge: every one within 10 km, and the nearest of each within 100 km.
National parkProvincial park
National park
Thousand Islands National Park
At the edge24 km²since 1904
Provincial park
Murphys Point Provincial Park
0.1 km north-west11 km²since 1967
Source: CPCAD 2.9.0 (ECCC): areas and outlines, distances outline to outline; directions from the town’s centre point.
Footpaths and woods
Paths to walk: 164 km in and around Rideau Lakes
OpenStreetMap footpaths, paths, bridleways and steps, and tracks open on foot, in the town and 1 km around it; woods as mapped (landuse=forest, natural=wood).
Footpaths
164 km
in and around the town (1,067.7 km²)
Woodland
50%
about 536.5 km² of mapped woods
Footpaths · km per km²
Rideau LakesTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Footpaths0.2
01.53 km per km²
Share of the land · mapped woods and forest
Rideau LakesTowns in OntarioTypical Canadian town
Woodland50%
0%50%100%
Woods cover more of it than in 83% of Canadian towns. For path density, 80% of Canadian towns do better.
Source: OpenStreetMap, © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Mapping varies by place: a dense figure can mean keen local mappers as much as many paths.
Walking routes
Rideau Lakes is on the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario)
Named walking and hiking routes on OpenStreetMap with at least 300 m within 2 km of the town, longest first; national routes lead.
NationalRegionalLocal
The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario)239.5 km
Rideau Trail - Kingston Section159.9 km
Rideau Trail - Central Section61.4 km
RT Buck Lake Loop15.2 km
RT Big Rideau Plateau Trail1.3 km
RT Ghost Town Trail0.4 km
The The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario) is 240 km long on the map, and 50.1 km of it lies within 2 km of town. At 159.9 km, the Rideau Trail - Kingston Section is the longest local route. For a short stroll, 2 are under 3 km.
Source: OpenStreetMap (route relations hiking, foot and walking), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Trans Canada Trail sections as OSM maps them.
When to get out
Walking season in Rideau Lakes: May, June, August and September
Daylight at the town’s latitude and ECCC’s 1991–2020 normals (Brockville, 33 km away). Good months: long days, highs of 15–30 °C, light rain.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.2 | 10.4 | 11.8 | 13.4 | 14.8 | 15.6 | 15.2 | 14.0 | 12.4 | 10.9 | 9.5 | 8.8 |
| High (°C) | -3 | -2 | 4 | 11 | 19 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 0 |
| Rain & snow (mm) | 84 | 64 | 68 | 89 | 80 | 96 | 99 | 82 | 96 | 94 | 81 | 85 |
Summer highs reach 26 °C in July; in January they stay near -3 °C. July is warm and wet, 99 mm; the driest month, February, has 64 mm. Some 180 cm of snow falls each winter. The climate in Rideau Lakes →
Beaches
Rideau Lakes has 12 beaches close by
Beaches on OpenStreetMap within 5 km of the town’s edge, nearest first, with directions.
Lions Club Beachsand · in town
DirectionsPortland Beachsand · in town
DirectionsMurphy Park Beachsand · 0.4 km from town
DirectionsMurphy's Point Main Beachsand · 1.1 km from town
DirectionsMurphy's Point Day Use Beachsand · 1.4 km from town
DirectionsIAWAH Beachsand · 1.9 km from town
Directions6 more are mapped without a name. 6 are mapped as sand. No open data on beach water quality covers every province, so check with public health before a swim.
Source: OpenStreetMap (natural=beach), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Things to do
Viewpoints and waterfalls near Rideau Lakes: 8 and 1
Viewpoints, peaks, waterfalls, picnic sites, nature reserves, playgrounds, dog parks, campsites and boat launches mapped within 2 km of the town.
8Viewpoints2Hills and peaks1Waterfalls5Nature reserves34Picnic sites11Playgrounds18Campsites12Slipways
34 picnic sites top the list.
Every named place, with directions
Viewpoints 8
Beaver Pond Lookoutin town
DirectionsFloods Island viewin town
DirectionsRock Dunder Lookoutin town
DirectionsSpy Rockin town
DirectionsPlus 4 viewpoints without a name on the map.
Hills and peaks 2
Morton Park Hillin town
DirectionsMount Carlsenin town
DirectionsWaterfalls 1
Plus 1 waterfall without a name on the map.
Nature reserves 5
Foley Mountain Conservation Areain town
DirectionsMill Pond Conservation Areain town
DirectionsOtter Lake Conservation Areawwin town
DirectionsPortland Bay Conservation Areain town
DirectionsRock Dunder Conservation Areain town
DirectionsPicnic sites 34
Newboro Lockin town
DirectionsRideay Ferry Yacht Club Conservation Area0.8 km from town
DirectionsHaskin's Point1.6 km from town
DirectionsPlus 31 picnic sites without a name on the map.
Playgrounds 11
Lower Reach Splash Pad0.3 km from town
DirectionsPlus 10 playgrounds without a name on the map.
Campsites 18
Lower Beverley Lake Parkin town
DirectionsMoonlight Bay on Otter Lake Campgroundin town
DirectionsNarrows Lock Campgroundin town
DirectionsSand Lake Camp Groundin town
DirectionsSunnyside Family Retreatin town
DirectionsUpper Rideau Resortsin town
DirectionsMurphy's Point - Fallows Campground1.1 km from town
DirectionsMurphy's Point - Hogg Bay Campground1.5 km from town
DirectionsPlus 10 campsites without a name on the map.
Slipways 12
Bayview Yacht Harbourin town
DirectionsBig Rideau lake boat launchin town
DirectionsLen's Cove Marinain town
DirectionsParks Canadain town
DirectionsRideau Ferry Harbour0.3 km from town
DirectionsRideau Ferry Marine0.6 km from town
DirectionsEloida Lake Boat Ramp1.1 km from town
DirectionsSkycroft Campground Resort1.9 km from town
DirectionsPlus 4 slipways without a name on the map.
Source: OpenStreetMap (tourism, natural, waterway and leisure tags), © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.
Next door
Next to Rideau Lakes
The nearest places, coloured by the share of the land within 10 km that is protected; tap one for its outdoors page. The nearest places to Rideau Lakes with figures are 18–27 km away.
AthensPerthTay ValleySmiths FallsElizabethtown-KitleyRideau Lakes
Under 1%1–5%5–15%15–40%40%+
| Town | Protected within 10 km | Areas | Routes | Beaches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rideau Lakes | 10% | 77 | 6 | 12 |
| Athens 18 km | 3.9% | 16 | 0 | 2 |
| Perth 24 km | 5.4% | 10 | 1 | 0 |
| Tay Valley 25 km | 5.8% | 37 | 5 | 8 |
| Smiths Falls 25 km | 7.5% | 5 | 2 | 1 |
| Elizabethtown-Kitley 27 km | 4.2% | 25 | 1 | 2 |
Its neighbours have no more than twice Rideau Lakes’ protected share.
How to read these numbers
What this data can and can’t tell you
- Private land. CPCAD includes conservation land held privately; the page counts it and leaves the names out.
- Protected land. The 10 km band starts at the town’s outline, not its centre, so a large municipality reaches further than a small town.
- Walking routes. A route counts when 300 m or more of it lies within 2 km of the town. Coverage of trails on OpenStreetMap varies by region.
- National and provincial parks. National parks are Parks Canada’s; provincial parks are the province’s or territory’s, Québec’s parcs nationaux among them.
- Beaches. The count includes unnamed stretches mapped as beach, which can make a lakeside town’s figure large.
Questions about the outdoors in Rideau Lakes
What walking routes are near Rideau Lakes?
OpenStreetMap maps the The Great Trail (Eastern Ontario), Rideau Trail - Kingston Section and Rideau Trail - Central Section close by, with others.
Is there a beach near Rideau Lakes?
Try Lions Club Beach, in town, first of several.
How much land around Rideau Lakes is protected?
Within 10 km, 10% of the land lies in protected areas.
Is Rideau Lakes near a national park?
Yes: Thousand Islands National Park reaches the edge of Rideau Lakes.
Is there a provincial park near Rideau Lakes?
The closest is Murphys Point Provincial Park, at 0.1 km.
What is the best season to get outdoors in Rideau Lakes?
May, June, August and September: long days, mild highs and little rain.
What is the largest protected area near Rideau Lakes?
It is Rideau Canal National Historic Site, a protected area covering 19,972 ha.
Sources
Where Rideau Lakes’ outdoors figures come from
Protected areas: Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD) 2.9.0, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2026: every area within 10 km and the nearest national and provincial parks, measured outline to outline.
Walking routes and beaches: OpenStreetMap, November 2026: named hiking, foot and walking route relations within 2 km and beaches within 5 km.
Towns: Statistics Canada 2021 Census boundaries and populations; the comparison is the Canadian towns and neighbourhoods of 2,500+, not city hubs or reserves.
When to go: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020, from the nearest station that publishes them.
Green space, paths, woods, things to do: OpenStreetMap (Geofabrik’s Canada extract), November 2026: parks, gardens, playing fields, woods, footpaths, the coastline and things to do in and around each town.
Residents: Statistics Canada 2021 Census dissemination areas (population, boundaries), each at a point inside it.
Walking routes and beaches © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database Licence (ODbL).
Not on this page: trailheads and trail grades, and beach water quality. No open Canadian dataset gives these for every town yet.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).